


Neku and Joshua's Alphabet Adventures

by chibistarlyte



Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: Angst, Drabble Collection, Ficlet Collection, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Other, and everything in between
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-08-19
Updated: 2013-01-27
Packaged: 2017-11-12 10:58:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/490131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chibistarlyte/pseuds/chibistarlyte
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of drabbles and ficlets, ten prompts for each letter of the alphabet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The A's

**Author's Note:**

> This is a cross-post from my FFnet account. This fic is still in progress, but I am a horribly slow and erratic updater. Just a forewarning.
> 
> At this time, I'd like to extend thanks to my awesome friend Aki for giving me all my prompts, and for being my loyal beta.
> 
> Enjoy!

**Attention**

**  
**

Neku scowled as Joshua's annoying giggles echoed through the cold night air.

"You should pay more attention, Neku dear," the silverette chastised with that smug smirk of his. "We don't need you running into light poles or mailboxes, now." With that, he spun on his heel and continued walking, still several steps ahead of the emo teen following him begrudgingly.

One glance at those tight, dark wash jeans clinging to Joshua's fine ass, however, diverted Neku's attention once again. One would think he'd learn after already running into a few signs in front of shops, or colliding with a couple passersby on the sidewalk, that he needed watch where he was going. It wasn't until he ran into a newspaper stand and face planted into the ground that Neku finally realized he probably should only pay attention to things above Josh's waist from now on.

 

.

 

**Applesauce**

**  
**

"What the hell are you eating?"

Lavender eyes glanced up from the bowl of brown mush on the table. "It's applesauce, Neku," Joshua said matter-of-factly, spooning a hearty-sized scoop of goop into his mouth.

Neku looked appalled as he eyed the disgusting-looking substance. "But…it's too brown to be applesauce," he said with a cringe. "It looks like shit."

Joshua giggled and gulped down another delicious spoonful. "I like my applesauce with a bit of cinnamon."

"I think that's a _little_ more than a bit, Josh…"

 

.

 

**Appease**

**  
**

If there was one thing Neku learned right off the bat, it was that Joshua was very demanding. And if he didn't get his way, he would either whine in his annoying Joshua manner, or demean Neku until he got what he wanted. Neku usually just ignored the former, but man, Josh knew how to push his buttons with the latter. He'd usually get so frustrated that he'd eventually cave into the silverette's ridiculous requests.

"Come on, Neku. Let's play one more round of Tin Pin," Joshua suggested, already preparing his pins for the silly little game.

"No way," Neku declined, "I'm sick of this game." And he had every right to be; they'd been at it for the last two hours already.

"Nekuuuuuuu," Josh whined, already employing his first "Neku Persuasion Technique." Too bad the redhead paid absolutely no attention to it. Following a couple more childish moans and groans of his proxy's name, he switched to the technique he _knew_ would work. "You're just mad because I've finally been able to beat you, dear."

At that point, Neku wanted nothing more than to smack that cocky grin off Josh's face. However, he tried out a brilliant tactic of his own that was sure to get the insufferable prick to back off. Neku leaned over the table, knocking most of his pins on the floor in the process. He fisted the collar of Joshua's shirt, and pulled him forward to steal his lips in an aggressive kiss. _That_ should be enough to appease him.

A few breathless moments later, Neku broke the kiss and allowed his lips to curl into a smirk. " _Now_ will you shut the hell up?"

 

.

 

**Audience**

**  
**

"J-Josh…ah, _stop_ …people will see…" Neku tried his hardest to push the silverette off of him, but all the kissing and sucking on his neck sapped whatever ounce of strength he had. The redhead tried to stifle a groan as Joshua slid his cool hand up his shirt and tweaked a pert nipple.

"We're in the UG," Joshua whispered, nipping at his proxy's earlobe. "No one can see us." His tongue glided along Neku's jaw line, causing the boy to shiver. Joshua smirked at the reactions he was getting from his beloved boy toy.

Oh, the things they could get away with without a public audience to witness them…

 

.

 

**Absent**

**  
**

Neku never thought the hole inside him would be so huge. He was supposed to hate Joshua, wasn't he? Hell, the guy shot him _twice_ , and that was more than enough reason to hate _anyone_. Yet… he couldn't bring himself to do it. In fact, he fucking _missed_ the brat, of all things.

But, Neku thought, he had _changed_ because of Joshua. If he hadn't experienced that whole three-week fiasco, he wouldn't be where he was now. Instead of trudging through life with an emo soundtrack blasting in his ears, Neku actually _enjoyed_ life—he had friends, he was pursuing his art, he appreciated the little things the world had to offer. And it was all because of _Joshua_.

So when Neku spotted Beat, Rhyme, and Shiki waiting for him by the statue of Hachiko, he felt the void in his chest spread. Joshua, the brat, the snarker, the composer of Shibuya, the annoying prick of a partner, the boy who killed him, the man who had given him a _second chance_ was completely absent…

…just like always.

 

.

 

**Abstract**

**  
**

"That's a beautiful mural."

Neku let a smile tug at the corners of his lips as he wiped the sweat and paint flecks from his cheek. "You really think so?" he asked, falling backwards onto his butt. It hurt a bit when his tailbone collided with the concrete, but he was too tired to care.

"I don't waste my breath on false flattery," Joshua said, He took a few steps forward and knelt beside Neku. His lilac eyes scanned over the masterpiece that was still fresh and slick from the brush. "I'm surprised Sanae let you paint this here. Udagawa has been solely _his_ terrain for ages."

Neku's smile widened as he too admired the fruits of his labor, wet and shining under the afternoon sun. "It's more of a collaborative piece," the redhead admitted. Colour-stained fingers combed through his sweat-dampened hair. "He told me what he wanted, and I painted."

A giggle escaped Joshua's mouth. He stood to his full height and studied the wall even closer, hundreds of shades and colours assaulting his vision. "What did he want, exactly? It's beautiful, yes, but it's just a collage of colours."

With a roll of his eyes, Neku let out a sigh. "Haven't you ever heard of abstract art, Josh? It's not supposed to be anything specific; everybody sees something different."

In his typical pensive fashion, the silverette crossed his arms over his chest, tapping his chin with his forefinger. "Well," he began, glancing down at the spiky-haired artist, "what do you see?"

Neku smirked, still staring at the newly-decorated concrete wall. "I see an annoying, impatient, bratty kid who thinks way too much," he said teasingly. "What about you?"

A few moments of silence passed before the Composer decided to sit next to his proxy, leaning close and speaking quietly. "I see a compassionate boy with a big heart and even bigger dreams," he said as he took Neku's hand and laced their fingers together, "a boy who's been given a second chance, and wants to live more than anything."

Neku laid his head on Joshua's inviting shoulder, unable to restrain the few chuckles that rumbled his chest, or the blush creeping across his face. "You see some pretty weird things, Josh."

 

.

 

**Acerbate**

**  
**

He couldn't take it anymore.

The kid was _insane_! And on top of that, he was annoying as hell. Neku had no idea how he was going to be able to put up with the brat for the entire week.

They had only been together for ten minutes and he already wanted to wring the silverette's neck. They didn't even know each other, and already this Yoshiya Kiryu was making fun of Neku, demeaning him, all while smirking that fucking smug smirk of his. This was going to get old really fast.

Even with Minamimoto spouting all his stupid math jargon at them as soon as they reached 104, Neku thought he'd almost rather be partnered with the arithmetic fetishist than his damn stupid partner.

 

.

 

**Authority**

**  
**

Neku Sakuraba and Yoshiya Kiryu stood in a deadlock at the foot of the bed, their eyes boring into the other's without wavering. Deafening silence passed over them. The tension could be cut with one of Neku's slashing pins. Joshua was so used to ordering people around and getting his way that when Neku refused to do as he was told, it shocked the Composer. Well, not really, he had to admit, because this was _Neku_. But he still didn't like it.

"I said lie down on the bed," Joshua commanded firmly, narrowing his gaze.

"No," Neku retorted, his stare intensifying by the minute. "I want to top tonight."

"But _I_ always top," said the silverette matter-of-factly.

"Oh come on, Josh, you _loved_ being bottom the other night," came Neku's side of the argument.

Joshua opened his mouth to speak, but closed it immediately after, having nothing to say on the matter. Neku smirked, knowing that he had finally won this battle.

"Now," the redhead said as he shoved his lanky lover down on the mattress. "Swallow your pride for once and just enjoy yourself, okay?"

Joshua hated being told what to do, but as long as it was Neku giving the orders, he could learn not to mind so much…

…Especially when Neku ravished him, taking him to heights even greater than the angel's highest planes.

 

.

 

**Addition**

**  
**

An aggravated growl echoed through the room as Neku slammed his head down on the open textbook in front of him. He'd had enough math with Minamimoto running around during his time in The Game, and now he had all this math homework to do. Screw _that_.

"Is something wrong, dear?" Joshua questioned with a knowing smirk, setting the book he had been reading in his lap.

Neku scratched his head furiously, little flakes of dandruff raining all over the problem set on page 372 of his textbook. "Math sucks," he said, his voice muffled by the pages filled with numbers. "It should learn to solve its _own_ problems for once."

Joshua chuckled. "You could try asking Minamimoto for help if you don't understand something." His chuckles erupted into full-blown laughter when Neku shot the darkest, most murderous glare his way. The Composer held his hands up in defeat. "Jeez, Neku, I was only kidding."

Neku jumped in his chair when he felt the silverette yank the pencil out of his hand. Josh had already stolen his graph paper notebook before Neku asked, "What the hell are you doing?"

The bratty composer scribbled some weird kind of math problem on a blank page before handing the notebook and pencil back to the redhead. "There. It's an easy one. Try to solve it."

As his blue eyes glanced down at the equation in his hands, Neku couldn't help but deadpan. Written in curly, girly cursive was:

_You + Me = x_

_x = less than three = love_

_What does You + Me equal?_

" _Really_ , Josh? This is the _best_ you could come up with?" Neku asked incredulously. Joshua was usually pretty witty, but this was just cheesy and lame.

Joshua shrugged noncommittally, returning to his oh-so-interesting book. "I'm not a mathematician," he stated simply.

Neku facepalmed. It was times like this when he wished he could just subtract Joshua from the love equation.

 

.

 

**Action**

**  
**

Neku shivered a little as Joshua traced circles across his naked chest with his cool fingertips. The silverette curled into Neku's side, lying on top of his arm. Despite the near pitch-black darkness, Neku could still clearly see the lavender glow of Joshua's eyes as the Composer gave him a half-lidded stare. His swollen pink lips curved just slightly into a smile—not his usual smirk, but an actual smile.

"What are you so happy about?" Neku asked in a mocking kind of whisper. His hand rested on Joshua's bare shoulder, his thumb idly stroking the soft, pale skin.

A tired giggle erupted from Joshua's vocal chords. He laid his palm flat on Neku's chest, feeling the boy's heartbeat beneath his touch. "You love me, Neku," he whispered, resting his head in the crook of his proxy's neck.

"Tch," Neku scoffed, thankful that the darkness could hide the blush creeping onto his face. His hand traveled upward, and he was now gently running his fingers through Joshua's silken silver locks. "When did I ever say that, moron?"

Joshua pulled the sheets up to his shoulder and settled in for sleep, cuddling closer to Neku and placing his hand back atop the redhead's heart. He allowed his eyes to slide shut as a blissful sigh swept past his lips. "Actions speak louder than words, dear," he breathed, quickly losing consciousness and drifting into dreamland.

Neku set his hand on top of the hand Joshua had laid on his chest, letting out a breath he wasn't aware he'd been holding. The little brat was right, as always; he'd realized Neku's feelings for him without being told straightforwardly. Neku almost scowled, but then he half-smiled as he glanced down at the sleeping Composer in his arms. It was okay, really; Neku was never one for words anyway.


	2. The B's

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jealous Joshua makes his debut in this chapter. Huzzah.

**Band**

**  
**

"Josh, quit it! My hair is just fine!" Neku complained, swatting the shorter boy's hands away from his head. He ran his fingers through his gelled carrot locks, spiking them even more than they stood usually. "Shiki and I are going to a _rock_ concert; I don't need to look all prim and proper."

Sighing in resignation, Joshua backed away and allowed Neku to style his hair in peace. "It's still a date," he said nonchalantly, crossing his arms over his chest as he gracefully planted his butt on Neku's bed.

Neku slid on his black spiked wristbands, securing them with a click before taking one final look at himself in the mirror. "What's it to you, anyway?" he asked as he brushed a few stray stands from his face. If the hair cement hadn't held them in place by now, they were simply a lost cause. "You need to get yourself a girlfriend, man."

The teen received a scoff in reply from the suddenly sour silverette. "As _Composer_ of Shibuya, I hardly have time for something as trivial as a girlfriend."

"And yet you have time to randomly pop up and harass me about mine," Neku laughed, adjusting his trademark headphones around his neck. He had expected one of Joshua's ever-clever retorts to come soaring his way any second—he definitely didn't expect the tense silence that followed his joking remark. As the quietude ensued, Neku had to turn around to make sure Joshua was still in the room. He was still present, at least physically; the silverette had gone oddly distant. His expression looked vacant, yet slightly perturbed. "…What's the matter, Josh?"

Hardened lilac eyes met the teen's concerned cerulean orbs. "It's nothing, dear," Joshua said quietly, grabbing Neku's jacket from the pillow next to him and tossing it to the redhead. "Have fun at the concert; tell 777 the Composer sends his regards." He remained unmoving beneath Neku's scrutinizing gaze, save for the breaking of their locked eyes as Joshua found the carpet extremely interesting. "I'll see myself out. You go on, or you'll be late."

As much as he wanted to believe that airy giggle, or the smirk playing across Joshua's lips, Neku knew that they weren't genuine at all. His spectacular lavender eyes were devoid of the mischievous glint they so often carried in conjunction with the Composer's teasing. And as much as he wanted to prod and pick at the avoidant boy until he knew what was wrong, the silverette was unfortunately right—one look at the clock on his nightstand told Neku he was supposed to pick Shiki up in fifteen minutes. He slid his arms through the sleeves of his black jacket and gave Joshua a half-smile. "Thanks. See you later?"

Having only received a noncommittal hum in response, the redhead reluctantly left the sanctuary of his room, closing the door softly behind him.

Hours later, as Def March played their sick tunes to a sold-out crowd, Neku could swear he heard something other than the jams of the band onstage. Beneath all the mad beats, wicked guitar solos, and cheering fans, Shibuya played a symphony so sad that no one but Neku could hear.

 

.

 

**Buttercup**

**  
**

Something was definitely out of place.

Joshua paused mid-step, an unfamiliar flash of golden yellow catching his sight. He spared a glace down at the concrete, where he saw something quite unexpected peeking out between the cracks of the sidewalk.

"Hey, why'd you stop?" came Neku's voice from a few paces ahead. "We're supposed to meet the others in ten minutes."

The Composer hushed his proxy with the raise of his pale hand. With a wave, he beckoned the boy closer. "Come look at this," he said, his voice gentle and almost…fond.

Neku held in his annoyed huff and backtracked to where Joshua was now kneeling on the pavement. "What is it?" he asked, azure eyes following the silverette's line of vision to the little yellow flower.

"It's a buttercup," Joshua informed him, reaching out and just barely brushing the petals with his fingertips. A tiny, loving smile graced his lips.

Neku watched the scene, confused at the amount of affection the silverette was showing this dumb piece of plant life. "O…kay…it's a flower. So?" He was growing more impatient by the second. What the hell was Josh getting so mushy and sentimental for? It's not like he hadn't seen a damn flower before.

Joshua chuckled. Neku could be so dense sometimes. "These only grow out in fields, not in the middle of the city," he said, his voice light and airy. "And despite their appearance, they're actually poisonous."

"Aaaaand why are you giving me a botany lesson when we're supposed to be at Sunshine Shibukyu in like, five minutes?" the redhead inquired with a scowl.

As the Composer rose to his feet, a rare serious expression befell his feminine features. He tucked his hands into the pockets of his dark jeans, regarding Neku with steely eyes. "I'm just appreciating my city's unexpected little miracles," he stated coldly. "If I didn't, we wouldn't be where we are, would we? _You_ of all people should understand that."

Neku was taken aback by the other boy's harshness. It cut him to the core, rendering him speechless and feeling incredibly empty. As always, Josh was so undeniably _right_. Though the teen felt a little emasculated being compared to a flower, Neku could still see where Joshua was coming from—had he not spent the time to witness the supposedly worst person in Shibuya change for the better, they wouldn't be together right now. Hell, the city wouldn't even _be_ here.

Lowering his head, Neku muttered, "I'm sorry, Josh…I…I didn't mean to—"

His speech halted as he felt a chilly hand loosely intertwine with his.

"It's okay," Joshua said softly, his anger mostly dissolved, but his visage still devoid of his usual cheery playfulness. "Let's go."

Wordlessly, the Composer and his proxy made their way toward their destination. Their hands still clasped around one another, and Neku felt the need to tighten his grip. Joshua responded in kind with a squeeze of his own.

The city was truly full of unexpected little miracles—everything from a little lonely buttercup to their very relationship with each other. Neku resolved to appreciate them a lot more, and hoped he really could in time.

 

.

 

**Bicycle**

**  
**

"Neku?"

"Hm?" was the reply as Neku tried to slurp down the ramen currently occupying his mouth.

"Do you own a bike?" Joshua questioned, his eyes glued to a page in the shoujou manga in his left hand. He tapped the ends of his chopsticks against his lips.

Swallowing his noodles with a louder-than-necessary gulp, Neku cocked a suspicious brow. "I think I still do…why?"

The silverette set his chopsticks down next to his half-eaten bowl of shio ramen and showed Neku the page he had open. "I always see images like this one in which someone is riding a bike and the girlfriend is standing on the back, as such. Is this what normal couples do?"

If Neku had still been chewing his ramen, he would have choked at that. "I think you need to stop borrowing Shiki's manga. It's poisoning your brain." To punctuate his point, he knocked Joshua on the noggin.

"Perhaps you're right," Joshua said, closing the book and setting it on the counter. He still looked at it a bit forlornly. "I've never ridden a bike before. I wonder what it's like..." With that, he picked up his chopsticks once again and attempted to finish his meal.

The carrot top looked thoughtful for a moment. ' _I can't believe I'm about to say this_ ,' he mused before turning to his boyfriend. "Maybe…after you're done eating, we can go back to my place and see if we can dig out my old bike."

Joshua's hand stilled, ramen dangling from his bamboo utensils and dripping broth into the bowl. His lilac eyes widened a fraction before sliding shut in a smile. "Okay."

 

.

 

**Button**

**  
**

"He's just so… _annoying_!" Neku cried, waving his hands about. "He shows up unannounced _all the time_ , teases me about _everything_ , treats me like I'm a dumbass, and… _hell_ , half the time, I don't even _know_ when he's joking or being serious!"

Beat chewed his chili dog, listening to his friend's raging rant about his boyfriend. He swallowed and crumpled the wrapper up, tossing it into the wastebasket a couple feet away from the concrete wall they both sat upon. "I dunno, man, he really seems t' push your buttons…"

"He _does_!" said the redhead, ready to pull his hair out. "And he knows _exactly_ which ones to push to piss me off the most!"

The skater, not really being one for deep thinking, just scratched at the blonde wisps of hair brushing the back of his neck. "Why you still with 'im then, man, if he pisses you off so much?" In Beat's logic, if someone annoyed you, you stayed away from them. Easy.

Neku's wild energy suddenly dissipated with that one question. The fist he had raised in ire slowly dropped into his lap as he stared at the empty space in front of him. Why _was_ he still with Joshua? Sure, he was an insufferable prick 99 percent of the time, but…

There were also the times when Joshua was very doting, caring, agreeable, and affectionate. He was always there for Neku whenever he needed it, and much more. Neku knew things about Joshua he was sure the silverette didn't even know about himself…and the same could be said vice-versa. There was something between the two of them that couldn't possibly be named.

"I…oh, God, I can't believe I'm about to say this…"

"You love 'im, right?" Beat interjected.

A huge smile broke out across Neku's face at the sheer ridiculousness of it all. He pressed the heel of his hand to his forehead and let out a dry laugh. "Yeah…I do. I love the bastard."

Beat smirked and punched his friend affectionately on the arm before hopping off the wall. "Then you're allowed to push his buttons too, aight?"

"I'll remember that," Neku said. He never expected Beat to be so wise, but he sure as hell appreciated it.

And he knew _exactly_ what buttons of Josh's to push.

 

.

 

**Blue**

**  
**

Neku's eyes were incredibly blue, Joshua noticed.

It wasn't like a bright slap in the face kind of blue. It wasn't the soft, peaceful, endless sky blue. It was neither the crystalline cerulean of a precious gem, nor the rich blue of a monarch's robes of highest royal authority.

No….it was something entirely different.

Whenever Joshua had the chance to look Neku straight in the eye, he saw a colour he had never seen before inking a pair of irises. It was a navy blue—the darkening velvet of the sky come nightfall, but with still enough light so as not to be blind. It was like the murky depths of the ocean, hiding both horrors and treasures alike. It was the last hopeful shade of colour before blackness enveloped all sight in the drop to the abyss of unconsciousness. It was—

"Josh? _Hell-ooooooooooo_! Earth to Josh!"

The silverette faltered, ridding his overactive brain of such ridiculous ramblings with a few shakes of his head. "M-my apologies, Neku. What were you saying?" He had a horrible habit of waxing poetic in his inner mind theatre.

"I was just saying that you should stop staring so we can get going. You space head." The emo teen bopped Joshua on the head before spinning on his heel and heading towards Cat Street. The Composer was still trying to compose himself when Neku paused and spared a glance over his shoulder. "By the way…next time, you should take a picture. It lasts longer."

Joshua, finally getting a grip on reality, let out a light chuckle as he followed the redhead's brisk stride.

' _I wish I could, Neku dear; but something that beautiful could never be captured on film._ '

 

.

 

**Blind**

**  
**

"Hey, Boss, someone's here to see ya," Sanae said from the doorway.

A pained groan echoed through the room as Neku flipped on the light switch, illuminating everything in a dim golden light. Blue eyes glanced around, halting on the figure of Shibuya's Composer. He was collapsed on the couch, a damp cloth dangling from his hand and barely touching the floor, while his other arm lay across his eyes. There was a slight flush staining his normally pale cheeks, and his skin glistened with sweat. Joshua looked a little worse for wear.

The redhead silently padded across the carpet and knelt down before the sofa.

"Neku…"

Joshua removed his arm from his face and draped it across his stomach. His entire body relaxed a bit as Neku's fingers found their way to his hair, gently combing through the silky silver locks.

"How'd you know it was me?" Neku asked quietly.

Joshua let out a terrible attempt at a humorless laugh, making it sound more like a cough. "Your music is…incredibly distinguishable…" His voice was shaky, breathless, and strained. "E-easier to hear…when I can't…see…"

Neku started. "You can't…see?"

As if on cue, Joshua's eyelids slowly slid open, revealing tired eyes that remained unfocused. The lavender irises were clouded over like a stormy sky. Moments later, those tempestuous orbs screwed shut as a terrible stab of pain shot through the silverette's skull like a drill. His sharp intake of breath caused Neku to take his hand in a comforting grasp.

"M-migraine…," Joshua croaked, "prevents me from…seeing through my eyes…"

Neku's lips grazed Joshua's forehead. "It's okay," he whispered, placing another kiss to his lover's temple. "You don't need to see to know I'm here." To reassure him, Neku tightened his grip on Joshua's limp hand.

A ghost of a smile pulled at the corners of the Composer's mouth. He allowed his head to loll to the side and cracked his eyes open, still sightless. "I know."

Sanae smiled as he regarded the tender scene between the two boys. He closed the door with an almost inaudible click, leaning against the slab of wood. He was amazed at how much Josh and Phones had come to care for each other—anyone would have to be blind not to see it.

 

.

 

**Bound**

**  
**

Neku was surprised to see what looked like a person perched atop the 104 building. There was no definite shape, only an ethereal glow and vague silhouette of a human. It was a rare and beautiful sight to behold, and Neku let an almost sad smile tug at his lips.

He had only seen Joshua's Composer form once before, but only for a fraction of a second when he had been shot in their showdown following the Reaper's Game. A lot had changed since then, and Joshua was making music again. It wasn't very often, but sometimes, faintly, Neku could hear it. And it was beautiful. He was composing again today, and even though it was from afar, this was the first time Neku had ever witnessed it firsthand.

Joshua was bound to this city, chained to it, unable to ever leave. Shibuya was his very life—every breath, every sound, every fluctuation of fleeting emotion. He and Shibuya existed as one entity.

And just like Joshua was bound to Shibuya, Neku was bound to Joshua.

 

.

 

**Bucket**

 

**  
**

"Josh, stop moving!"

"I can't help it, dear; this thing is dreadfully _heavy_!"

Neku sighed indignantly. With Joshua's constant wobbling about with the paint pail, he was having a hell of a time getting at least a little bit of colour on the bristles of his brush. Unfortunately, the ladder he was currently afoot had no shelf for his paint. Josh was the next best thing, but the redhead was starting to regret suckering the Composer into helping him with his latest wall mural. The entire situation was becoming more of a disaster by the minute.

"Just keep it still for like ten seconds and you can take a break," Neku assured the boy below him. His paintbrush dove into the pool of colour, accidentally bumping into the side of the bucket.

"OH SHI—"

With a glamorous clamor, clashing and plopping noises following soon after, the bucket tumbled out of Joshua's hands and clattered to the ground. He was now a cheery, burning shade of orange, the paint staining his hair, his clothing, and the pavement at his feet. The Composer, still shocked at the incident, just stood there, his arms still upright in the pail-holding position.

Neku couldn't help the explosion of laughter that erupted from within him; he nearly fell off the ladder because he was laughing so hard. He even found Joshua's murderous glare to be hilarious, especially when it came from an angry blob orange enough to match his own hair.

"I am _never_ helping you with a painting. _Ever. AGAIN_ ," Joshua seethed.

"Fair enough," Neku said, unable to hide his amusement.

 

.

 

**Brilliant**

**  
**

Sometimes, Joshua was too brilliant for his own good.

That's what landed them in this situation, after all—the two of them on Neku's kitchen floor with rags and a mop, trying to clean up a huge mess of beef and potato stew before Neku's mom came home.

"Why couldn't you just…set the time to what it said on the package?" the redhead asked through gritted teeth, scrubbing extra hard at a stain that just _wouldn't come off_.

"Because one minute and thirty seconds is _not_ enough time to cook stew. Really, now," Joshua retorted, tossing ruined potatoes into the trash bin.

"It's _microwaveable!_ It's already been cooked!" Neku spat, tossing a dirty rag and hitting his boyfriend square in the face. Victory!

Joshua spluttered as the washcloth hit him, smearing stew remnants all over his scowling face. "Pardon me if I was just trying to cook it thoroughly, _dear_." He threw the rag back at Neku, hitting his shoulder.

Neku let out a growl. "Just shut up and help me clean, dumbass."

 

.

 

**Bath**

**  
**

Steam rose from the porcelain tub, floating about the room and fogging up the mirror. Tentatively, Neku stepped into the bath, sinking down beneath the scalding water with a content sigh. It had been forever since he'd last taken a bath, usually opting for the much more practical five-minute shower in the morning before school. He dunked his head under the water to wet his hair, resurfacing with flushed cheeks. This was heaven, and if it weren't so dangerous, he probably would have fallen asleep.

He also would have fallen asleep if he hadn't suddenly felt hands rubbing at his scalp, causing him to jump in alarm.

" _What the_ _HELL_?"

An annoying giggle permeated the steamy atmosphere of the bathroom, one that Neku knew all too well. "Relax, dear, I'm just washing your hair for you," Joshua said innocently. Neku had his doubts that his intentions were so PG-13.

The redhead slid down until the tip of his chin barely dipped into the water. "You better not be using your girly-smelling shampoo," he grumbled. Granted Neku liked when _Joshua_ ' _s_ hair smelled like lilies and vanilla, but that didn't mean he wanted his own hair to give off the same aroma.

The Composer merely hummed in response as he lathered his hands with shampoo. Neku was extremely loathe to admit he actually _liked_ Joshua washing his hair—the gentle massaging as those deft fingers cleansed all the way down to his hair roots sent pleasurable shivers down the naked boy's spine. Despite the relaxation of both the hot bath and Joshua's ministrations, certain lower regions in Neku's body started to become too uncomfortable for his liking.

"Time to rinse, Neku," the silverette announced in a sing-song tone. On command, Neku tilted his head back and allowed Josh to pour cups of water onto his hair, ridding it completely of the sweet-smelling suds.

Neku shuddered when he felt Joshua's magical hands knead at his shoulders, releasing all the tension built up in his muscles. He was hard-pressed to hold in a few groans as the other's hands slowly trailed down his back, at some point weaving around and dancing across his torso. Neku felt a faint throbbing in his genitals. He had a difficult time finding his voice to tell Josh to stop, lest he notice the redhead's little… _problem_.

"Excited, are we?" Joshua cooed into his ear. That certainly didn't help Neku's condition _at all_. "Buuuuut…I'm afraid before I can tend to that, it's your turn to wash my hair."

By now, Neku was hot and bothered, and impatient as hell. "Just get in here already," he said harshly, voice tinged with lust. He refused to look at Joshua, fearing that just one glace at that beautiful smirking face would send him over the edge, unable to hold back.

The silverette merely giggled, more than happy to oblige.


	3. The C's, part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The prompts Crutch and Crust go together as a pair. They're meant to be read together.

**Crutch**

**  
**

"Josh, I can't find it anywhere," Neku called from behind the counter, rummaging through stacks of junk in search of some new sheet music the Composer had apparently written. The redhead was convinced there was no such thing, however, if his past fifteen minutes of looking for it were anything to go by. He wouldn't put it past Joshua to just be fucking with him, sending him on a wild goose chase for something that didn't even exist.

Said boy heaved a sigh from his spot on the couch. "Just keep looking," he urged. It _had_ to be there somewhere, but he was feeling too exhausted to look for it himself. He'd spent three days composing, and all he wanted to do was sleep…

"I think you're pulling—shit!" Neku yanked his hand back as if he'd been burned. A huge pile of _stuff_ decided to completely topple over, littering the tile. Something larger and more solid had also fallen, clattering to the floor and echoing through the musicless silence of Dead God's Pad. Neku expected to have his ass handed to him for making a mess out of Joshua's personal effects, but no such punishment came. In fact, there was no audible reaction to the mishap whatsoever. He hastily began cleaning up what he'd knocked over, in the process coming across something—the source of the louder noise, he guessed—he least expected to find in the silverette's possession.

It was a crutch.

Neku picked up the wooden walking stick, handling it as if it were made of glass. It was small, perhaps fit for a child, with a polished handle and a rubber tip on the foot. He used the counter as leverage to pull himself up and into Joshua's line of tired sight. "What's this, Josh?"

"Hm?" the addressed sighed. His entire body froze as his lavender eyes fell upon the crutch in Neku's grasp. A dark cloud settled above his head and his expression turned icy. _"Where did you get that?"_

Joshua's cold tone chilled Neku, causing him to flinch involuntarily. Talk about a mood swing. "Sorry, I knocked over some of your stuff."

"Just put it _back_ ," Joshua bit. He turned his head to the side in an attempt to avoid Neku's questioning blue eyes. With an aggravated huff, he wove his arms across his chest and sank lower into the sofa cushions. Suddenly, he felt very cold. Where the hell did he put his blanket?

Slowly and solemnly, the redhead leaned the cane up against the side of the counter. "Was… _is_ it yours?" His question fell heavier than his footsteps on the Composers attuned ears. Neku couldn't help but notice the way Joshua shied away ever-so-slightly when he sat next to him. Though the silverette was making it a point not to look in Neku's direction, the teen still caught a storm swirling in his eyes. Those lilac pools were acidic enough to burn holes into the floor. This subject—whatever it was—seemed to be a bit touchy, though to say merely that was a gross understatement.

"Joshua?" Neku prodded, fighting down the urge to take the boy's chin and force him to look at him. Even when Joshua began speaking in hushed, clipped tones, he still averted his attention elsewhere, focusing on anything that wasn't Neku.

"I was very…sick, when I was alive," Joshua confessed with great personal distress. The way his shoulders hunched forward, the way his fists clenched at the sleeves of his grey shirt, the way his brows would furrow in sadness rather than anger, spoke volumes. "I…didn't live past fifteen."

Neku did little to hide the shock that exploded across his face. He certainly hadn't expected Joshua to actually expose a part of his past to him, nor did he expect what he heard. "Then…how…?"

The silverette shifted in his seat, wanting to melt completely into the couch and out of sight. "Sanae was right, you know…about me seeing spirits while I was alive. I knew all about the game—the rules, the stakes… _everything_. When I finally died, I opted to play the game. It was… _incredible_." A strange wave of emotion crashed over the Composer, shaking him to the core. Even his voice quivered a bit as he continued his anecdote. "My entire life, I was always weak and frail—to be able to stand on my own two feet, use powers and weapons I'd never dreamed possible…felt _amazing_. _Exhiliarating_."

"So…how did you end up becoming the Composer?" Neku blurted out the inquiry he'd wanted to ask from the very start. He leaned forward, tucking his arms between his legs, and gave Joshua his undivided attention, much to the other's discomfort.

"…I wanted power," Joshua admitted after a long silence. "I wanted to throw away the useless, fragile shell of my previous self. If I became Composer, I would have absolute control of my own life—my _afterlife_ —instead of being at the mercy of diseases I couldn't stop." His knuckles had blanched from the tightness with which he clung to his own shirt, his digits having long gone numb. His half-mast gaze had taken on a completely new expression, one that Neku never thought he'd ever see in Joshua's eyes—pain, misery, despair.

Releasing a breath he hadn't realized still rested in his lungs, Neku dared to press further. "And…your entry fee?"

"The only thing keeping me on my feet," was Joshua's contrite reply.

The redhead took a second to look back at the counter, where he'd left the crutch resting all by its lonesome against the granite. After a moment of deep thought, Neku turned his attention back to Joshua and said, "You know…everyone needs something to lean on sometimes. Even the Composer."

Joshua, for the first time since their discussion began, spared a glance at Neku. His expression was unreadable as his attention flickered between the redhead's concerned navy irises to those lips that parted ever so slightly. After an unbearably long silence, the silverette, tongue in cheek, sank back against the sofa cushion and returned his gaze to the ground. "I think you need to leave," he muttered darkly.

Neku felt as if he'd been backhanded across the face. Anyone who said that words didn't hurt was gravely mistaken. "But—"

" _Now_."

Without even a second thought, Neku nodded curtly and rose to his feet, heading to the exit of Dead God's Pad. Clearly, Joshua needed some time to himself. Even though it pained him so much to see Joshua act so blatantly out-of-character, he would grant his lover the chance to mull things over. He left the Composer in peace, his heart heavy with guilt and worry.

It wasn't until the last echoes of Neku's footsteps faded into white noise that Joshua finally collapsed on himself, crying harder than he had in what felt like millennia.

 

.

 

**Crust**

**  
**

"Whassa matter, boss?" Hanekoma asked from behind the counter as he continued drying a collection of coffee mugs. "You haven't touched your pie."

Joshua gave no hint that he'd even heard his Producer, merely staring dejectedly at the granite countertop. His slice of apple pie lay to his left, untainted by any utensil save for the knife used to cut it in the first place. A bony finger idly twirled an already wavy lock of silver. The bags beneath his dull eyes were made even more vivid by the paleness of his skin.

It wasn't until several minutes later that Joshua finally said, "It wasn't supposed to happen."

Sanae almost dropped his current cup at the intrusion of the Composer's voice into the silence. He recovered from his falter in record time and turned to face the boy. " _What_ wasn't supposed to happen?" he asked gravely, fearing something awful. It was rare to find Joshua in a _truly_ bad mood such as this.

Said boy pursed his lips and let a sigh out through his nostrils. "I…I told him about my life." Dim lilac eyes slowly slid shut, shielded by ashen bangs.

At that, Mr. Hanekoma halted his work entirely and leaned against the counter, face inching closer to Joshua, showing nothing but interest and curiosity. "Really. And what prompted you to do that?" Suffice to say, Hanekoma was pretty shocked at this revelation—never in a million years did he think Joshua would ever open up to anyone else about _anything_ personal, let alone his life before the Reaper's Game.

"He found my crutch by accident," the Composer admitted, splaying his hands over his face. He leaned forward on the counter, supported by his pointy elbows.

The raven-haired man hummed in response, rubbing at the whiskery stubble on his chin. He waited for Joshua to continue, but when nothing else came, he eased further into the conversation. "You know, Boss…I don't think that's such a bad thing."

Joshua's hands dropped with a slam onto the counter. " _What?_ " he cried out, whether in surprise or anger, Hanekoma wasn't sure. "How can you say that? _No one_ is supposed to know about any of that, least of all _him_! How can that _possibly_ be a _good_ thing?" Joshua's previously blanched face now glowed with colour, his cheeks pink following his outburst. His breathing was heavy as he once again leaned atop the counter, his head resting on his upper arm as his hand bent upwards and idly combed through his hair.

"…Listen, Josh," Sanae began, his tone actually serious for once. "You guys have known each other for what…a year now?"

An affirming nod was all he received in reply.

"And you've been dating for about half that time, right?"

Another nod preceded an exasperated sigh.

"Well…when you have a relationship with someone, be it romantically, as friends, whatever, there will be things you will learn about each other." The Producer tapped his forefinger on the shiny surface of the counter several times to punctuate his point. "The closer two people get, the more things they'll know about each other, whether they like it or not."

Joshua tried to give him a bored look, but from his position, it looked a bit more pitiful, like that of an adorable lost puppy, pouting lip and everything. A chuckle came from deep in Hanekoma's throat.

"Okay, let me put it into different terms," the older man said, reaching for Joshua's abandoned slice of pie. He slid the plate toward himself until it was equidistant between the two of them. He twirled the fork through his fingers a few times before poking at the pastry with its prongs. "You have this slice of pie here. The crust is the outer appearance, and is usually pretty tasty, but what's inside—the apples and cinnamon and sugar—now _that_ ' _s_ the good stuff, am I right?"

A smirk tugged at the bean enthusiast's lips as understanding slowly crept its way across Joshua's face. Reluctance was also present in that expression—hesitance in taking this advice to heart.

"My point being, Josh," Hanekoma continued, "you have to eat the crust first to get to what's really inside."

With a grin as smug as ever, Hanekoma returned to his task of washing coffee mugs, leaving Joshua to sit quietly with his own thoughts.

 

.

 

**Caught**

**  
**

Joshua wanted to bleach his eyes from the sight he'd just beheld.

And, really, he didn't mean to bear witness to it. It was all happenstance, something that made him completely rethink his usual behavior of popping in unannounced. It wasn't even that he was particularly disturbed by it, either. It just made him…so…

…unbearably _angry_.

The look Shiki gave him over Neku's shoulder would probably be burned into his memory for a long time. Her widened eyes, the expression of shock and surprise at his sudden appearance...

And like a coward, Josh vanished before Neku even knew he was there.

But whatever. That's fine. It's not like Neku's not allowed to kiss his girlfriend. That's what couples do, after all. Totally normal. Perfectly okay.

Except…no. It was not okay. Not at all.

Joshua let out a sigh as he perched on the roof of the 104 building. His lavender eyes watched the city below him, bustling about as always. He wished it would all just stop for a moment, so he had time to gather his thoughts. He wasn't used to them being so…erratic.

Well, he wouldn't be visiting Neku for a while.

 

.

 

**Cloud**

**  
**

"Oh, look, that one looks like a squirrel!" Rhyme said, pointing her dainty little finger at the rodent-shaped fluff in the sky.

"Yo, dat one looks like a dragon," Beat said, acknowledging a cloud adjacent to the one his sister pointed out.

"That one kinda looks like Mr. Mew," Shiki added, watching the cat-shaped cloud blow further east.

"That cloud is a nimbostratus formation, if I'm not mistaken."

A whip crack would have been an appropriate noise as the whole group snapped their heads in Joshua's direction. Said silverette merely shrugged his narrow shoulders and cast his lavender eyes skyward once again. "Well, it is," came his breezy defense as he lazily kicked his legs back and forth over the ledge of the roof.

Beat, Rhyme, and Shiki then focused their gazes on Neku, each of them with a slightly perturbed expression written all over their faces. The redhead shook his head and also gave a shrug before nudging Joshua in the ribs.

"Josh, we don't need to know what _kind_ of clouds they are. We're looking for shapes, dummy," Neku informed him.

Joshua smirked, still staring up at the white and dusty grey puffs suspended in the atmosphere. "That's silly. They all just look like cotton balls to me."

The entire group facepalmed, but not without laughter at the silverette's expense—which he either didn't notice, or just plain ignored. Instead, he continued to silently cloud gaze.

"Why'd you even bring him, Neku?" Shiki asked teasingly, adjusting her glasses.

"I have no damn clue," Neku replied with a laugh. He then promptly punched Joshua in the shoulder. "Killjoy."

"I resent that." Joshua feigned a hurt look, but everyone saw right through his pathetic little ruse.

"Bullshit," Neku called him out, grinning brightly.

 

.

 

**Criteria**

**  
**

"Here, Neku, look," Shiki said, handing the redhead one of the magazines she was looking through. She had the pages folded over.

Neku took the magazine with a slightly disgusted expression on his face. "Why the hell would I want to look at your girly magazines?" he asked.

The seamstress huffed and frowned, tapping the open page with the nail of her index finger. "It's a relationship quiz. I thought it might be fun to take, see how normal your and Josh's relationship is."

At that, Neku let out a not-very-attractive gigglesnort. Right. Because his relationship was so normal. If anything, it was the extreme opposite. But Neku was okay with that—it definitely made things more exciting, even if Josh annoyed him to no end sometimes. "Why would I want to gauge my relationship's normalcy?" he asked his best friend as he began to read the first question despite his mild protest.

Shiki flipped the page of the Vogue issue she was looking at for some clothing ideas. "I thought it might be funny. Read the questions aloud, Neku!"

"Fine, fine." Neku cleared his throat and scanned the first question again. "'Question one: Where do you and your guy usually go on dates? A: A nice expensive dinner, followed by a show at the theatre. B: To the park with a picnic lunch, where you can relax and talk. C: Fast-food place, or somewhere you can use coupons.'"

"Do you and Josh even go on dates?" Shiki giggled as she placed a pink sticky note on the current page of her magazine, as a place marker.

"Not really," Neku responded, biting his lip. "But we go to Ramen Don kind of a lot. So I guess C."

"Does Josh even know what a coupon is?" Shiki added as an afterthought.

"I don't even know. Okay, 'question two: How far into your relationship was your first kiss?'"

"This'll be good," commented Shiki, to which Neku growled.

"'A: About a month in. B: First kiss on the first date. C: Still waiting.' Wow, that last option has a frowny face," the redhead said, cocking a brow.

"So, which one is it?"

"Well, none of the answers really fit. I didn't let Josh kiss me until about three months."

The both of them sat in silence, their pondering faces on. After a few minutes, Shiki said, "Well, I would go with option A, then. That's the closest."

Neku looked thoughtful for a moment. "I guess you're right. Uh, okay, next question. 'What do you and your guy usually do on a night in? A: Cuddle and watch movies. B: Get it on all night. C: Spend the night ignoring each other.'" Navy eyes stared incredulously at the last option. "What the fuck is answer C?"

Shiki closed Vogue and set it aside, moving on to another fashion magazine. "I don't know. It sounds like a pretty crappy answer."

"The sad part is that it's the closest to what Josh and I do," Neku sighed. His eyes bulged out as he looked over the next question.

"What's wrong, Neku?"

Suddenly, the magazine was lying crinkled on the floor between the two friends. "The next question asked about favourite sex positions. I'm done with this quiz!"

Shiki couldn't help but laugh. "Fair enough. Though you didn't have to ruin my magazine."

"Yes I did. It was a piece of crap," Neku pouted. "Relationships don't have to fit certain criteria."

He had no idea why he was getting so defensive about this, really. He knew Shiki had intended it to be funny and entertaining, but Neku was feeling strangely butthurt by the whole thing. His relationship was fine, by his standards. He and Joshua were happy—what did it matter that they never went out on dates, or their quality time wasn't spend cuddling all the time and everything else?

"Don't let it get to you, Neku," Shiki said, scooting closer to her friend. She set a hand on his shoulder and gave a light squeeze. "It's just a silly, girly magazine."

Neku gave a small smile and scratched at the side of his face. "Yeah…you're right. Sorry I got all weird there."

"It's okay," Shiki replied with a smile of her own. Then, her expression instantly changed and she clapped her hands together. "Okay, now strip. I need your measurements."

The poor boy couldn't hold back his whine of agony.


	4. The D's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Neku is a bit angry, and Joshua is extra angsty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a few quick notes before I start off this chapter:
> 
> -The story for Dense is supposed to be like a sequel/continuation thing to the story Band, from the B's chapter.  
> -It's kind of my headcanon that after the events of the game, Joshua promoted Uzuki to be his Conductor (he would have promoted Kariya, but Kariya didn't want the position).
> 
> Many thanks to my lovely beta Aki! She made all of this possible.

**Dunk**

 

Joshua had an annoying habit of dunking his food into his beverages, Neku noticed.

 

Some of these combinations were totally normal, like when they grabbed coffee and pastries at WildKat and Josh dipped his doughnut in his latte. Or when they both enjoyed a night in, and he dipped his cookies or sticks of pocky into a giant glass of milk while they watched a movie. Hell, even dunking a plain slice of bread in his tomato juice was at least tolerable.

 

But some of these combinations were just…plain fucking _weird_.

 

Neku’s burger stopped half-way to his mouth when he happened to look over at Joshua only to find him dipping half of a French fry into his chocolate milkshake. He almost dropped his delicious burger back into the wrapper, eyes widening in shock. The expression on his face was akin to horror.

 

“What the _hell_ are you doing, Josh?”

 

The silverette paused, giving Neku a sidelong glance before popping his shake-slathered potato stick into his mouth. He chewed slowly, his eyes fluttering closed as he sighed with pure bliss written all over his face. “It’s _so good_ , Neku,” he purred after he swallowed, plucking another fry from the container and dipping it into his milkshake. He then held it out to his boyfriend, gesturing for him to take it. “Try it.”

 

Neku’s lip turned up in disgust. “Ugh, no. That looks gross.”

 

Joshua continued to hold the French fry in front of Neku’s face. Eventually, Neku gave in and snatched it from Josh’s fingers. He stared long and hard at the strange combination before hesitantly bringing it to his mouth, chomping down with a grimace and chewing a little too forcefully.

 

The Composer watched him, his lilac eyes positively glowing with anticipation. “Well?”

 

Neku swallowed the bit he’d just chewed, then regarded the little potato thoughtfully. “It’s…not bad,” he admitted. He reached over and dunked the rest of the fry in Josh’s milkshake, willing to try it a second time.

 

“Told you it was good,” Joshua said, taking up another fry of his own and repeating the process.

 

“Still fucking weird, though,” Neku said with a playful shove to Josh’s shoulder.

 

.

 

**Disruption**

 

“We should be safe here,” Joshua said, shoving Neku down on the sofa and straddling his lap.

 

“You sure about that?” Neku asked, leaning up as Josh leaned down, their mouths meeting forcefully, the kiss heated and desperate.

 

“Positive,” Joshua breathed against Neku’s lips, taking them captive once again and adding a bit of tongue.

 

So far, the day had been kind of a disaster. Both of them had been feeling quite frisky, but they kept getting disrupted in one way or another. First, they’d been in the middle of a rather heavy make-out session on Neku’s bed when his mother decided to walk in and interrupt them. So, his place was a no-go. At least Neku’s mom didn’t say anything regarding their incriminating positions; she just pretended not to see anything abnormal, and went on her merry way.

 

Next, they’d slinked off to WildKat and hid out in Mr. H’s storeroom. Neku had barely gotten Josh’s shirt unbuttoned when Hanekoma came to the storeroom in search of a particular flavor of coffee to brew for a customer. Upon seeing the two of them, Neku pinning Josh to the wall, the barista just smirked and told them not to contaminate his beans. Needless to say, they wouldn’t be setting foot in WildKat for at least a week. Maybe two.

 

They were even crazy enough to try hiding out in the Miyashita Park Underpass, but, well…it was difficult to get away with something like that in a public place.

 

Now they were here in Dead God’s Pad, where surely they wouldn’t be interrupted by anyone.

 

Joshua rolled his hips against Neku’s and the two of them groaned in unison. His already tight jeans were starting to feel even tighter. In a flash they were both bare-chested, their shirts thrown haphazardly somewhere across the room.

 

“Josh, _please_ ,” Neku pleaded, arching his back as Joshua’s wonderful, magical mouth traveled south, covering every imaginable inch of skin down his neck and torso. He swirled his tongue around Neku’s nipples, one at a time, coaxing the small buds to hardness. Neku gasped and moaned, gripping the cushions of the sofa as pleasure shuddered through him. Joshua’s nimble fingers trailed down the redhead’s abdomen, heading right for the belt keeping them both from what they really wanted.

 

“Boss!” Uzuki’s voice rang through the air.

 

They both froze.

 

“ _Fuck_ ,” Joshua swore in a whisper, slowly maneuvering himself out of Neku’s lap. He stood, straightening his clothing and holding himself like a true Composer. His entire attitude shifted, as if he hadn’t just been caught canoodling with his boyfriend. “What is it, Yashiro?” he asked, his tone all business.

 

The pink-haired Harrier-turned-Conductor just stared at her boss, looking a bit unsure of what to say. “Did I…interrupt something, Boss?” she asked hesitantly as if awaiting some sort of punishment.

 

“As a matter of fact, you did. It better have been for a good reason,” Joshua warned.

 

“Taboo noise,” Uzuki said, her own voice taking on a more firm, serious tone. “A swarm of them was spotted attacking Players in the Scramble Crossing and 104. I have some Reapers trying to contain them right now.”

 

Joshua’s eyes widened, his stomach sinking to his feet. For the most part, though, his face remained impassive. “Suspend the game until they can be contained. Have the Support Reapers wall off every route until I give word to take them down. I’ll see what I can do from here.”

 

Uzuki saluted before teleporting away to carry out her orders. As soon as she was gone, Joshua heaved a long-suffering sigh. “I’m sorry, Neku,” he said, rubbing his face with one hand, applying extra pressure just below his eyes.

 

Neku, who was still seated on the sofa and looking more than a little frustrated, just shrugged and sucked in a breath. “It’s okay, Josh. You have a job to do. I understand.”

 

Their eyes met for a brief moment, and a small smile tugged at the corner of Joshua’s kiss-swollen lips. “Later,” he promised. “And hopefully then, we won’t have any more disruptions.”

 

.

 

**Dark**

 

Joshua liked the dark.

 

It was a comfort for him. In the dark, he didn’t have to pretend. In the dark, he didn’t have to exist. It was so easy to hide in the dark, to lurk and go unnoticed by everything and everyone. The world didn’t have to see him in his most vulnerable moments because the darkness gave him refuge.

 

In the dark, he was _safe_.

 

“Josh?”

 

At the intrusion of Neku’s voice, Joshua smiled mirthlessly and pressed the heel of his hand against his right eye. Of course Neku had come looking for him, the idiot. He heard Neku’s hand skimming the wall for the light switch, and he panicked for a brief moment.

 

“Don’t,” he said, his voice sounding raspier and more desperate than it should have. “Leave the lights off.”

 

The small slivers of light from outside disappeared as Neku shut the door behind him. “Why are you sitting in Mr. H’s stockroom in the dark?” he asked, taking a few cautious steps forward.

 

Joshua curled in on himself, pulling his knees tighter to his chest and bowing his head to hide his face. Not that Neku could see his face in the dark anyway. But it was a defense mechanism—the idea of “I can’t see you, so you can’t see me” that usually applied to the behavior of a cat. He didn’t have an answer for the redhead, so he just remained silent. Almost wishing he could just disappear.

 

In reality, he could just tune his frequency higher and vanish if he really wanted to. But it just seemed like too much work, so Joshua stayed put.

 

“Hey,” Neku said softly. Josh could feel the warmth of his proxy as the boy sat next to him. Not quite touching, but still close enough for his presence to permeate the personal bubble Joshua was careful about constructing. “Do you wanna tell me what’s wrong?”

 

He exhaled through his nose, lifting his head and turning it just enough to look at Neku. The Composer’s lavender eyes could just barely make out the outlines of Neku’s face. “It’s nothing,” he muttered.

 

The redhead made a disbelieving sound, a little half-grunt, half-sigh that said he didn’t really take Joshua’s words as truth, but he didn’t speak. He wasn’t going to press the issue, and for that Joshua was ever grateful. How does one explain the feeling of vulnerability, anyway? The feeling that his entire soul was stretched thin and bare all over his beloved city, exposed to every single citizen in this great metropolis? It wasn’t as if anyone outside the UG could see him—hell, there weren’t many people who even knew of his existence in the first place. Yet he felt so completely naked. It didn’t even make sense.

 

But he was safe here. Here in the dark, and with Neku beside him as always.

 

.

 

**Damsel**

 

“Joshua, look out!” Neku cried, aiming a few energy blasts at the Noise trying to take out his partner. He didn’t make it in time, though, and the Easterravens he missed crashed right into Joshua, knocking him out of the air and sending him plummeting to the pavement. The silverette hissed in pain, his elbows and right cheek scraped up from his contact with the concrete.

 

“Damn it.” Neku switched to a slashing pin, raining down death on the remaining Noise until they disappeared in bursts of static. Once the enemies were cleared out, he hunched over, tired and panting.

 

“Good work, Neku,” Joshua complimented in his high-pitched voice that grated on Neku’s nerves like sandpaper on rock.

 

And suddenly he didn’t feel so tired anymore, a surge of anger pushing adrenaline through his veins. “You know, you could pull your own weight in battle for once!” he snapped, his hands flailing as he yelled at his _freaking useless_ partner. “I’m the one doing all the work because you have to be rescued all the time like some damn damsel in distress or something! Maybe you should stop wasting time with all your stupid _levitating_ and actually do something _useful_!”

 

Despite Neku completely seething, nearly foaming at the mouth in ire, Joshua seemed as unperturbed as ever. He just gave one of his vague, teasing smiles and said, “If you could just keep them off my back long enough, you’d _really_ see something.” Josh paused, then giggled in that way-too-feminine way of his. “Besides, if I’m a ‘damsel’ in distress, that would make you my prince charming, Neku dear.” With that, he spun on his heel and sauntered off without waiting for Neku to catch up.

 

Neku couldn’t help the frustrated growl and accompanying eye roll at Joshua’s retorts. He didn’t know if he could survive three more days of this.

 

.

 

**Dirty**

 

“Hey, listen!”

 

Neku groaned as Navi’s voice sounded from his phone, alerting him of a new text message. “Damn it, why did I let Josh change my text noise?” the redhead muttered as he plucked his phone off the desk to check his new message.

 

_I want you so badly right now._

All the blood rushed to Neku’s cheeks and he turned red as a cherry. Well then. Joshua was certainly in a mood today, it seemed. Suddenly Neku wasn’t so keen on completing his homework.

 

_I’m busy. Go bug someone else_ , he texted back before returning to his Chemistry problem set. Not that he could concentrate very well on it right now.

 

Not even a minute later, Navi was instructing Neku to listen again. He made a mental note to never let Joshua touch his phone again, or let him near _Ocarina of Time_ again.

 

_Do you know what I’d like to do to you, Neku dear?_

Fucking hell. He was never going to get his homework done at this rate.

 

_Stop distracting me, you dick._ He meant that term affectionately, of course. The response was almost instantaneous.

 

_Shall I take that as an invitation? ;)_

Neku didn’t even bother replying to that message. He had homework to do, damn it! And now he was all hot and bothered, all because Joshua had to be annoying. When another text came through a few minutes later, Neku considered just turning off his phone and ignoring his boyfriend for a while. He didn’t get the chance to put those thoughts to actions, however, because a certain someone draped long, skinny arms over his shoulders and pressed into him from behind.

 

“Did you miss me?” Joshua purred into his ear.

 

Oh, who was he kidding? There was no way Neku was getting anything done tonight.

 

.

 

**Deadly**

 

Sometimes Neku forgot just how deadly Joshua could be.

 

Sure, he knew he was the Composer and everything. And he’d seen Joshua’s skills in battle, back in the Reaper’s Game when they’d been partners. Together, they’d _dropped the freaking moon_ on their enemies more times than he could count. At that time, though, Joshua wasn’t even operating at full strength.

 

It wasn’t until now that Neku really got to witness first-hand the extent of Joshua’s powers.

 

The Composer stuck close to Neku, just a misty, ethereal form blending in with Neku’s own shadow. Together they fought against the horde of Noise that threatened to disrupt the UG and make their way to the RG. Neku had been granted the power of using his pins again, but he barely got more than an attack or two in before Joshua just _decimated_ the bothersome creatures with some divine Jesus-esque laser beams.

 

Just a flick of his wrist and Joshua could annihilate an entire swarm of Noise in a burst of fuzzy static.

 

Needless to say, Neku was in complete awe of the sheer, raw power that Josh had come to possess in becoming the Composer. It was hard to believe those same deadly hands that could kill enemies with such cold precision also had the capacity to be the most gentle, loving hands in the universe. It was difficult to fathom that those same hands were the hands that held a gun to him on two separate occasions. Those hands had _killed him_ before.

 

Neku would have never thought those murderous hands would ever make him feel so alive.

 

.

 

**Drive**

 

“Josh, this has got to _stop_. _Now_.”

 

Joshua just looked bored, examining his fingernails and pretending he hadn’t heard Neku. But Neku knew better.

 

The redhead let out a growl. “You can’t…” With a huff, he stomped over to where Joshua was sitting in an armchair, looming over him with, hands on his hips, arms akimbo. “You can’t keep doing this, Josh. You can’t just clam up and ignore me whenever the notion strikes you!”

 

Finally deciding to grace Neku with a look, Joshua glared up at his boyfriend. He remained silent, which pissed Neku off even more.

 

Neku geared just as much venom behind his own glare. He braced his hands on either arm of the chair and leaned in close to the Composer’s face, making sure the insufferable boy heard him loud and clear. “Yoshiya Kiryu, you better cut this shit out _right now_ , because I’m sick of it. All you’re doing is driving me away with your ridiculous behavior. Do you want that? Do you want me to leave you?”

 

If it were even possible, Joshua’s glare turned colder. He bit his lip before aiming his hardened gaze at the floor, unable to keep eye contact with Neku. He still didn’t respond.

 

Standing to his full height, Neku let his arms fall to his sides and his hands curled into fists. The burning intensity in his demeanor only moments ago dropped in temperature, freezing into icy resolve. “Forget it. I’m done.”

 

He made sure to slam the door on his way out.

 

.

 

**Dandelion**

 

“I used to do this a lot as a kid,” Neku said, holding the seed-covered stem up to his face before blowing on it. The seeds scattered as his breath hit the stem, carried off in the wind like floating dust. He picked another one from the patch of grass they stood upon and handed it to Joshua.

 

Joshua looked at the little bundle of fuzz, curiosity painting his angular features. “So…I just blow on it?” he asked. It wasn’t common to see dandelions in Shibuya, but, well…stranger things had happened.

 

“You’re supposed to make a wish on it first, then blow. Kind of like birthday candles or something,” Neku said, his navy eyes locked on Joshua.

 

The silverette closed his own eyes, thinking for a few moments. A tiny smile flashed across his lips and he blew on the dandelion, the seeds flying off in every direction possible.

 

“What did you wish for?”

 

Joshua took Neku’s hand in his, lacing their fingers together. “Nothing. I have everything I’ve ever wanted right here.”

 

.

 

**Dense**

 

"So, I don't know what the hell is up with him," Neku said with a sigh, tightening his grip on the handle above his head. The train jerked a little bit as it started up again, propelling forward down the track. He and Shiki were on their way home from the Def March concert, and as much fun as this evening had been, Neku still hadn't been able to pull his thoughts away from Joshua for most of it. So he'd decided to ask Shiki what she thought the Composer's problem was. She was always good at giving friendly advice.  
   
Shiki held onto one of the vertical metal bars, being too short herself to reach the overhead safety handles. "Does he act this way a lot, or was it just today that he seemed...well, _off_?" she asked, tilting her head a bit in a questioning gesture.   
   
Navy blue eyes watched the city pass by beyond the glass of the windows as Neku lost himself in thought once more. Had it been only today that Josh's behavior was a little weird, even for him? No, it wasn't. He’d acted similarly the last time he’d dropped by unannounced when Neku was getting ready for a date with Shiki. Come to think of it, Joshua’s mood always took a turn for the worse whenever Neku mentioned Shiki at all, which he found a bit worrisome. Did he not like Shiki for some reason? Neku couldn’t see why—Shiki was, well…pretty amazing. Hard for anyone to dislike.

 

He frowned and shook his head. “No, he’s…he’s acted this way before. But never this bad.”

 

It was quiet for a moment. Then, to Neku’s complete surprise, Shiki just shook her head and laughed a bit. He raised an eyebrow. Why the hell was she laughing? This was a serious matter!

 

“Boys can be so dense sometimes,” Shiki said, quelling her giggles after a minute or so. She just stared at Neku through the lenses of her glasses, giving him a small smile.

 

At that, his brows went in the opposite direction as they furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?” he asked, pursing his lips in an almost-pout.

 

Shiki just sighed and clung tighter to the pole. “I think he likes you.”

 

.

 

**Drivel**

 

Even though Neku had tuned him out a good fifteen minutes ago, Joshua was _still_ talking. Sometimes he wondered if the silverette talked so much because he loved to hear the sound of his own voice. Granted, Joshua did have one of the most alluring voices around—when he wasn’t being annoying, or giggling, or teasing Neku in that tone an octave higher than his normal voice.

 

But whatever. Neku had given up on listening to Josh at this point. He was trying to explain something about the Reaper’s Game. Something about the higher planes and a fallen angel and just a bunch of other shit that Neku couldn’t even come close to comprehending.

 

“…and they weren’t very happy with my decision to spare Shibuya its fate, so those on the higher planes threatened to do everything from demote me to _erase_ me. Can you believe that?” Joshua complained, waving his hands about in the most dramatic fashion.

 

Neku let out a sigh. “Josh, you do know I stopped listening to you like…almost twenty minutes ago, right?”

 

Joshua looked quite affronted at the admission, his bottom lip protruding in the most smoldering, adorable pout Neku had ever seen. He couldn’t help but laugh.

 

“Here, I know how you can put your mouth to better use,” the redhead said, leaning in and capturing Josh’s lips with his own. For once, Joshua didn’t have anything to complain about.


End file.
